A Little Bit of Night Angst
by ilikesaddleshoes
Summary: Zel, a little girl's doll, a campfire, some angst. ...no more needs be said i'm sure...smidgens of linazel.


Pardon Me  
  
Ilikesaddleshoes  
  
AN: I'll give you a cookie if you can tell me what this next quote is from: "It's such a pretty boat...ship. Ship." Now read on lovelies!  
  
The wind blew gently across the dimly lit clearing, playing with the beige cape of a wandering man as it moved on. The lone man, sitting at his campfire, heaved a sigh as his musings took a darker turn.  
  
A decade ago I never thought I would be, at twenty three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion. Woe-is-me.  
  
Zelgadis lifted his hand in front of his face, a pain-filled expression entering his eyes as he examined his blue pebble-encrusted skin. This, this is what kept him apart from anybody he ever met. This caused him to hide his face in towns and villages across the lands.  
  
Flashback  
  
"EEK! Give it back!"  
  
Zel turned to the scene as he heard a young girl's voice. A trio of young boys had taken a hold of an even younger girl's doll and were tossing it to each other, tormenting her as she ran between them, trying to follow her doll. After watching a moment he shook his head slightly and turned away.  
  
Before even a few steps had been taken a slight sound was heard at his feet. Looking down he recognized the doll. Curious as to what made the object so special he knelt and picked it up, turning it over and over in his hands. Shuffling footsteps came to a stop by him and the pink hem of a dress came into his vision. Glancing up he saw the little girl who had so passionately tried to rescue her doll.  
  
"a-ano...may I have my doll back please" her voice was timid, and it struck a chord in his heart as he realized how vulnerable she was.  
  
Wordlessly he handed it to her, watching as her eyes lit up. Shaking his head he prepared to stand up when a small hand on his hood stopped him. Unable to react, he was frozen as she drew back his safety and uncovered a beast.  
  
"Thank you" she whispered as she traced over his pebbles showing no fear, only suprising wonder.  
  
He dared not breathe, as he feared sound or movement would shatter the moment into a million pieces.  
  
And it did.  
  
A loud shriek brought them both back to reality. "Get away from her you freak!" an older woman, presumably the mother yelled.  
  
Zel flinched and the young girl shook her head and clutched his tunic.  
  
end flashback  
  
In the end...was this always the reaction he would receive? The girl had been dragged away as the neighborhood had been roused and chased him off the street.  
  
But I guess that it comes with the territory; an ominous landscape of never ending calamity. I need you to hear. I need you to see that I have had all I can take and exploding seems like a definate possibility to me.  
  
His eyes slid shut, hiding away the watering sapphire orbs, but not before a tear silently slid down his cheek. He grew angry at Rezo, the world, and himself. Few people escaped his internal wrath. But, he knew the true reason for his pain. This DAMN skin caused this!  
  
So pardon me while I burst into flames. I've had enough of the world and it's people's mindless games. So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame. Pardon me, pardon me.... I'll never be the same.  
  
Was is truly too much to ask? Being like the numerous happy people he saw every place he passed by? Being able to walk among them freely? Being able to laugh and joke around with them. Only in his sanctuary was he able to experience part of life again.  
  
Bless that red-head he found himself so ardently pining over. She never thought of him as a freak, she seemed to forget most of the time...if one could go by the many times she had hit him, only to hurt herself.  
  
A tiny grin made it's way onto his serious face but was quickly lost as he sank back into depression.  
  
Not two days ago, I was having a look in a book and I saw a picture of a guy fried up above his knees. I said, "I can relate, "  
'cause lately I've been thinking of combustation as a welcomed vacation from the burdens of the planet earth. Like gravity, hypocricy, and the perils of being in 3-D... and thinking so much differently.  
  
So many leads to his cure...correction, so many WRONG leads. He gave a dry chuckle, wondering once again, as he had so many times before, if there truly was a cure.  
  
Countless bad memories flashed through his mind, each a merciless stab to his being. Overcome with frustration he smashed his hand into the middle of the fire, hitting the wood. He felt no pain but that on the inside...  
  
So pardon me while I burst into flames. I've had enough of this world, and it's people's mindless games. So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame. Pardon me, pardon me... I'll never be the same.  
  
THE END! BANZAI!  
  
AN: a bit of Zel angst there. Smidgens of Zel/Lina. I just read tons of wonderful fics with that pairings, I hadn't been planning it, my fingers typed it before I realized, and hey, a bit of seemingly unrequited love never hurt anybody. Hoped you liked it. Review and tell me you love me...or Zel (he IS a darling isn't he?), or review and tell me it sucked....but do it cause my grammar is bad or something, not because you don't like my chosen pairing. (that just happened to me) I like all pairings, so don't be stupid. Honestly, if that's what I'm "flamed" for...I'll feel kinda jipped. Saying the pairing sucks won't change the fact that I wrote about them. Make it count, hmm? Everyone else...I adore you. Snuggles! 


End file.
